A Wing And A Prayer
by GinStan
Summary: Miranda doesn't know everything about Andrea's work history. This particular hidden skill comes in very useful. I intend this to be a series, sort of an 'Elemental' theme, 'Into the Fire' is retroactively the first story in the series. This is the 2nd. I'm not sure how long the others will take, but I'll get to them. Eventually. :) Rating is for possible future chapters


On a Wing and a Prayer

by Gin

Andrea Sachs, first assistant to editor-in-chief extraordinaire Miranda Priestly, looked across the aircraft aisle to see her boss' mischievous twin daughters giggling with each other on the couch. "What's so funny?" She grinned at them, as their shining blue eyes turned toward her.

"We think it's funny how nervous you are on the plane." Caroline gestured around her. "You're fine on the ground, but when we boarded you became super nervous." She narrowed her eyes and guessed at the reason. "You're freaking out because you have to sit by mom, right?"

Andy shook her head to deny the accusation. "No." She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. If the girls noticed, then she must be acting like a crazy person. Miranda would surely notice. "That's not why at all."

And it wasn't. Andy hadn't always been nervous on planes. In fact, she had practically been raised on airplanes and used to be a licensed airline pilot working for a major airline on weekends to help put herself through school. She'd earned scholarships, but they didn't cover all her expenses. This was her second trip to Paris with Miranda, but she had flown to the city many times in the past. Those round-trips had rarely allowed her the opportunity to explore. Her normal schedule was just the flight in and possibly an overnight stay, then a flight out the next morning. Often very early as the flight they were on now was, back to the States. It meant they would be back in the early morning hours, but it always gave her a bit of time to sleep before her first classes the next day.

Andy knew that she was jumpy due to not being in control of the aircraft. When she thought about Caroline's words, she realized the exact opposite of the children's conclusion was true. Sitting across from Miranda on the plane, being able to see her, was oddly calming. "You two better settle in for takeoff." She gestured to their seat belts. "Buckle up. Then when the pilot says we can move around, you can help me go through the photos of all the sights you visited."

Rolling their eyes, identically like their mother always did when she was exasperated, the girls fastened their seat belts and waited for everyone else to find their seats while the pilot and co-pilot did whatever they did to get their trip underway. They grinned when their mother appeared and instead of taking a seat across from them, the one facing Andy, she gestured for Cassidy to move over and took her place between them on the couch. Nigel took the seat across from Andy.

Miranda, comforted by her children on either side of her, liked being able to look up and see Andrea sitting in one of the cushy chairs.

It was a private plane, a Gulfstream G650 this time, chartered by Elias-Clarke from the same company they used for their executive's trips. It was a small company but they maintained a half dozen planes of various sizes for their clients to utilize for different reasons. Many times this very plane carried the board members to the Superbowl, but in this instance it was being utilized for its intended purpose, actual Runway business. Miranda liked using it for Fashion Week destinations because it was the perfect size to carry her and her entourage. It was also private so they can work while in the air; a particularly useful bonus. Time was of the essence as the print deadline for the next issue of the magazine approached. They had to examine all of the new designs they discovered during the week they just finished in Paris. Having this time for work also allowed her to spend time with her children. It had been an amazing revelation. In the past, she left them back in New York, thinking the week would be too busy for them to have any time together. This trip Andrea had arranged it so the girls could be with her, and they had managed some decidedly great outings.

The time with her children had centered Miranda like she had never experienced during any Fashion Week. Her eyes tracked around the luxury cabin as her people found their seats. Her gaze pausing on Andrea for a moment. It was Andrea who had made it all possible and, Miranda recalled their outings fondly. She adored spending time with her children, but Andrea's presence had made everything seem much better, more like a family than her outings with the girls had ever felt before. She knew it was dangerous to think that way. They had worked together for more than a year, but Andrea's status as assistant made any sort of emotional bond borderline inappropriate. _But_, she thought, _if I keep it to myself, if I don't tell anyone, that wouldn't hurt would it?_

The young woman's eyes were closed, as they usually were during take-off and landing. Miranda could feel a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, and a thought came unbidden. _She is so beautiful._ The captain's voice came over the sound system, pulling her out of her admiring thoughts.

"Okay folks. Veronica will be through to make sure all your seat belts are buckled, and we will be taxi-ing out to our runway in just a moment. We should have you back to New York in approximately seven hours. So sit back and relax. I'm sure Roni will have coffee and breakfast for you as soon as we reach cruising altitude. If you need anything, just let Veronica know. Enjoy your flight."

The flight attendant did indeed make a trip through the cabin assuring that everyone was safely strapped in before informing the pilot that the passengers were all set. She found her own seat and they began to move out to their starting position at the end of their assigned runway.

Miranda had gone through this process many times and, unconcerned, returned to her study of Andrea. The sound as the engines spiraled up for the impending take-off didn't faze her, but a small wrinkle appeared on Andrea's forehead, just between her eyes. Andrea craned her neck to look out the closest window, going so far as to reach for her seatbelt, but then the noise stopped and the plane began to move. In mere moments the slightly bumpy motion of rolling gave way to the smooth glide of takeoff. They climbed quickly and leveled off before the announcement came that they could release their seat belts and move around the cabin if they wanted. Veronica reappeared and asked if anyone wanted refreshments.

As soon as possible, Miranda's unmistakable 'work' tone carried through the cabin, "Where are the notes?" All of which were immediately provided for her, and soon they were working as efficiently in the air as they did on the ground.

###

Without any phones to answer, Andy was able to manage the few requests Miranda made along with the promised review of the photos she had taken of the girls and Miranda while sightseeing. She spent quite a lot of time in her hotel room last night shifting many of her photos of Miranda into a private file. She had been thrilled to be included when the Priestly women went sightseeing, even if she was only there to take photographs and run errands for them. It was wrong, and she knew it, but she couldn't help pretending she was with them. Not that Miranda would ever see her as anything but an assistant. Miranda would certainly never see her as a part of her family, but she couldn't see how a dream, one she kept strictly to herself, could hurt anything. _Nothing_, she thought, _except my own heart._

The flight was fairly smooth for nearly the whole flight, until they hit a patch of turbulence. They were still over the ocean and not preparing to land yet, but Veronica managed to get everyone seated and buckled in. Andy took her seat but watched Veronica closely, knowing something besides turbulence was happening. "Roni?" Andy caught the attendant's attention. "What's going on?"

"Don't worry, Andy." Veronica patted Andy's arm. "Jack has it under control."

It. Andy didn't like the sound of that. It meant there was something else going on, something other than turbulence. Jack was a good pilot. She knew that from first hand experience and they'd had many discussions about flying. Still, she was getting that jumpy, not-in-control, feeling again. The plane shuddered again and she heard that same odd sound she'd heard when they took off. Then it was gone. She clenched her jaw as she realized not only the odd sound was gone, but the sound of the engine was gone as well. Groaning at the realization that they were now running on only one engine, Andy leaned forward and rested her head in her hands. Her mind began to think of every single instance she'd ever been told about planes losing an engine. She didn't know how long she had been lost in her thoughts of the past but her trip down memory lane was halted when she realized Miranda was speaking to her.

"I did not know you and Veronica were so close."

Andy looked over to see Miranda's eyes mirroring the jealous tone in her words. "Roni's a sweetheart. We've socialized a couple of times. Being in strange cities alone isn't fun, so we, the flight crew and I, go out for drinks and dancing sometimes when we're on trips. Plus, I stay with her sometimes." She narrowed her own eyes at Miranda. "Am I supposed to get your approval of who I socialize with?"

"No." Miranda seemed like she was tasting something bad. "Of course not." She looked as though she was going to say something else, but Veronica returned and grabbed Andy's arm.

"Come with me." The normally calm flight attendant was nearly frantic. "Andy..." She lowered her voice to a whispered hiss. "Something's wrong with Jack!"

With a glance at Miranda, who had her arms wrapped around each of her children's shoulders, Andy could tell Miranda heard the whisper. The woman's hearing was legendary. She gave a reassuring nod to her boss and quickly followed Veronica to the cockpit.

She found the co-pilot anxiously trying to get Jack's attention. Andy eased closer to the pilot chairs and gestured to the controls. "You take care of that." She pointed to Jack with her thumb. "I'll take care of this." The nervous nod the co-pilot gave her was not reassuring, but she turned back to her friend anyway.

"Jack..." Andy spoke gently to the man who seemed dazed. "Jackson? Can you hear me?" She listened to his mumbled and slurred words and exhaled as she shook her head, dreading what her brain was telling her. "Jackson... stick out your tongue." He complied, but it didn't come straight out of his mouth; it went to the side. "Okay..." She informed Veronica and the co-pilot, "I think he's having some sort of stroke." The terrified look on the co-pilot's face made Andy's heart clench. That needed to be addressed quickly. "Hello. I don't think we've met. I'm Andy... Andrea.. but everyone calls me Andy."

"Oh." He smiled nervously. "Me too... I mean. Andrew, but yeah, Andy here too."

"Well that's easy to remember, eh? That was my grandpa's name too." She smiled at him and her eyes flickered to the controls. "How long have you been flying, Andy?"

"Um... I just got my license the day before we left for Paris. Jack let me be co-pilot during this trip, to give me some experience and show me the ropes..."

"Ah." Andy shook her head and ruffled her fingers through Jack's hair. "Nothing like throwing them in the deep end, eh Jack?" The glazed look in the pilot's eyes brought Andy back to business. "Okay then..." she began to unbuckle Jackson's restraints. "I'm gonna take him back and get him in a comfortable chair." She gestured for Veronica to help her. "Then I'll be back and we can figure this out together... okay, Andy?"

"Yeah..." He nodded. "We've been doing okay with just the one engine, but..." He indicated one of the dials. "That may not be the case for much longer."

Andy glanced at the gauge he was pointing to and nodded, realizing the oil pressure was lower than it should be and was dropping. "Right." She helped Jack up out of his seat and wrapped one arm around his shoulder while Veronica did the same on his other side. "I'll be right back."

Jocelyn was in the first seat, right outside the cockpit and Andy directed her to take the seat, across from Nigel. They got Jack buckled in before Andy looked across the cabin of the plane and squared her shoulders. Miranda needed to know what was going on. Walking back to the couch, Andy dropped to one knee in front of Miranda to stabilize herself against the turbulence and to get closer to Miranda so her lowered voice would not be heard by the others. She didn't want to alarm anyone just yet. Of course, Miranda demanded the information Andy was about to give her.

"What's going on, Andrea?"

"The pilot has been incapacitated." She saw the intake of breath from all three Priestlys and hastened to assure them, "The co-pilot is currently flying the plane." She nodded as they settled down. "He's not as experienced as I would like, but he does have his license."

Miranda saw the hesitation and prompted. "And?"

"There is a bit of engine trouble." Running her fingers through her hair, Andy lowered her voice even more and elaborated. "One engine is out. The other is burning oil too fast, which means it will probably go out soon as well." She winced at the terrified sound the girls made. "We're almost home though, and if we can't make it to New York then we will make it to another airport. Don't worry okay? We'll be fine."

"Is this inexperienced pilot up to the challenge, Andrea?" Miranda tightened her grip on her girls. "What happens if both engines fail?"

Andy smiled and reached out to hold each girl's hand but she held Miranda's gaze as she spoke to them all. "Listen... we're going to be just fine, okay? I will never let anything happen to you guys if I can help it, and in this case I can help it." She caught each girl's expression and nodded reassuringly. "I'm a pilot. If the co-pilot runs into any trouble, I can help him." She looked up to see an incredulous look on Miranda's face. "We're all going to be just fine. I promise." She wished that the plane hadn't shuddered at just that moment, but it did get her moving. "Okay. You all just sit tight."

Returning to the cockpit, Andy took Jackson's seat and strapped into the pilot's restraint harness with automatic precision. Andrew noticed.

"Are you a pilot?"

Andy nodded and put on the headset as she responded. "Yeah, I am...was...am." She examined the instruments and looked out the window at the stars. "Are we off course?"

"Maybe?" Andrew admitted. "I'm not sure Jack was holding the right course before he got sick, and I can't be sure I am."

Speaking to the GPS Andy asked, "Where are the nearest airports?" It reassured her when the mechanical voice answered almost instantly.

"The closest airport is Provincetown Municipal Airport..."

Andy tuned out and cut off the rest of the information, "What's the next closest?"

"Why not the closest?" A tinge of panic was threading through Andrew's voice. They were off course, by quite a bit.

"Can't do Provincetown Muni... not in this plane. Runways are too short. We might be able to land, but we couldn't take off again." She was relieved when Logan International in Boston was one of the next few options listed. She'd flown in and out of Boston many times before.

"Okay." She spoke to calm Andrew down. "Boston it is then."

"But... didn't you hear how far it is? What if the second engine dies?" Andrew took one hand off the controls long enough to point to the dropping oil pressure and then the fuel gauge. Going off course had burned more fuel than anticipated for the trip. Even if the engine held, they would run out of fuel anyway. "We can't make it that far!"

Andy saw the shaking finger, hand, and arm and nodded. "Yes... we can. We will. If the second engine goes, we'll just glide in. You'll do fine."

"GLIDE!" Andrew was definitely hysterical now. "This is not a glider!"

Calmly, Andy spoke soothingly to the man. "Helicopters don't glide, they just drop from the sky. I hate those things. This is an airplane. It is a beautiful machine with lovely wings designed specifically for keeping us in the air. It will glide. They all do. It's just a matter of degree." She directed him to go a bit higher if he could, to give them all the altitude they could get before the engine went, which according to the gauges would probably be within the next few minutes. Luck was on their side, though, because the single engine kept pushing them along, and they were about to enter the range of Logan International. She clicked on her headset and made the call. She put on her most professional pilot voice.

"Logan Approach, this is Gulfstream Three-Two-Five-Five, Paris to New York. We are experiencing engine difficulties and are off course. We have a Medical Emergency with our pilot. We are approximately fifteen minutes out and will most likely be gliding in to land. Request a runway and an ambulance for the pilot when we're down." She licked her lips and glanced at Andrew's sweating forehead. "That ought to shake 'em up."

"Gulfstream Three-Two-Five-Five, this is Logan Approach, emergency acknowledged. Medical personnel will be standing by..."

Andy listened as they were guided onto a flight path to line them up with the runway they were assigned. She was glad to see Andrew seemed to calm down as the minutes passed, and he followed the clear, professional instructions. Even though it wasn't strictly protocol, she thanked the approach controller before they gave her the frequency they needed to contact Logan Tower.

She had just switched frequencies when the second engine failed, and the plane shuddered and dropped. That part wasn't surprising because Andy had been expecting it to happen for the last few minutes. What did catch her off guard was when Andrew's eyes rolled back in his head and he passed out cold.

Automatically grabbing the controls in front of her, Andy ground her teeth together and went about the chaotic business of getting the aircraft under control and back to the altitude Approach had specified. As soon as that was accomplished, what seemed like hours that was probably less than two minutes, she took the headset off and contacted the airport. It was easier to keep the link open while she was dealing with the controls, but the entire conversation was now audible in the cockpit. "Logan Tower, Gulfstream Three-Two-Five-Five on final to runway One-Two-Left." She reached down to activate the landing gear then pulled her hand away when the Tower responded.

"Negative, Gulfstream Three-Two-Five-Five, we have United traffic on runway One-Two-Left. Go around."

"Negative, Logan Tower." Andy firmed up her voice. "We are gliding in, repeat, Gliding In. Our engines are gone, and our pilots are incapacitated. I AM landing on runway One-Two-Left. Clear my way, or I will land on top of the aircraft there." 

"Gulfstream Three-Two-Five-Five pilot, identify yourself."

"Logan Tower," Andy's grip tightened on the controls and exhaled softly. "My name is Andy Sachs." She spoke clearly so they understood she was not playing about landing. Although without their clearance, she was already trying to figure out how to circle with no engines. She needed clearance and she needed it now. "I have loved ones aboard this plane." She elaborated. "There are children aboard this aircraft. I am landing this plane It's your call if I'm sharing the runway or not." Of course, there were most likely children aboard the passenger planes as well, but they had their engines. There were some seconds of silence, and Andy imagined she could hear the cursing in the tower. They were getting closer to the airport so a decision was going to have to be made. Her hand hovered over the landing gear controls. Glancing at Andrew, who was still unconscious, Andy focused ahead, now seeing the lights from the airport and the runway beckoning. She also saw the other planes in the air. When another voice chimed in, Andy nearly laughed in relief when she heard the message, complete with a Texas drawl.

"Logan Tower, this is United Seven-Two-Six. We can go around. Best clear Gulfstream for landing. The Lady sounds serious."

The tower voice crackled over the speaker a few seconds later. "Gulfstream you're clear for runway One-Two-Left."

"Thank you, Tower," Andy started the landing procedures, the wheels locking into place with a reassuring thunk. "Thank you, United." The response made her smile.

"See you on the ground, Gulfstream. United out."

The lights were getting closer and so was the ground. She wanted to ask Veronica for smelling salts or something to wake up Andrew, but she also didn't want Veronica moving around the cabin. She reached for the switch that would broadcast her voice into the main cabin then realized that at some point it had already been flipped. _Probably when I was getting control after the engine died_, she thought. That meant everyone seated in the cabin had just heard everything she and the tower had said. _Great_, she thought, but she couldn't think about that right now. Instead she went on with the problem at hand.

"Everyone make sure your seatbelts are secure. I'm about to land this bird. It might be a little bumpy, so don't get up until I tell you it's okay." She pictured Miranda and the girls sitting on the couch. "We'll be on the ground soon."

Making sure that little switch was firmly off, Andy mumbled. "One way or another." She took a deep breath and focused forward. The ground was coming up fast, too fast. She slowed down some using the flaps on the wings. Having the landing gear down put a bit of drag on them too, but she didn't want to sacrifice too much of the lift she was getting by slowing down too much, not yet. Despite what she had told Andrew about the wings, for them to work as designed, they needed air passing across them and under them. She had to keep the front of the plane at the correct angle for as long as possible. A nosedive at this point would really suck.

As they went lower, she started to feel the crosswind and the radio crackled back to life. 

"Gulfstream Three-Two-Five-Five be advised we are registering a strong crosswind on runway One-Two-Left."

"Thanks Tower." Andy acknowledged. "I feel it." And feel it she did. It was more than strong, and the vision of Miranda and the girls huddled together filtered through her mind. The plane wavered then turned nearly ninety degrees to the runway. Gritting her teeth, she held on to the controls. Calling on the memory of her grandfather and every single thing he'd ever taught her about flying, she kept the aircraft going down the runway, sideways but still following the long straight track. She could almost hear his voice in her ear, almost feel his big hands guiding hers on the controls. Andy manipulated the controls and managed to nearly straighten the plane just as the tires touched the ground. She opened the lift dumpers, hit the brakes and held on. Andrew groaned. She glanced over as his eyes fluttered open and Andy mumbled, "Welcome back, Andrew." Her leg muscles tensed as she held the brakes, her arm muscles tensed as she held the controls to keep the aircraft on the tarmac. The plane slowed then stopped. 

"Gulfstream Three-Two-Five-Five, nice landing. Welcome to Boston. Logan Tower out."

Andy put her headset back on and switched frequencies to Ground Control. A few seconds of silence was broken by a new voice.

"Gulfstream, this is Ground Control. We have a gate ready for you. Tugs are on the way." The voice continued. "That was an amazing landing. The Colonel would have been proud. Glad you were the one at the controls."

Andy sighed. "Well that makes one of us, Ground." She grinned and winked at Andrew. "So, I get to ride all the way to the pretty, pretty ambulance lights?"

"Yep." Ground control relaxed the protocol and Andy felt the clinks as the tugs connected to them just when the voice spoke in her ear again. "We've got you now. Just sit back and enjoy the ride."

"Gladly." Andy let her hands lightly rest on the controls. She looked over at Andrew who seemed pretty shell-shocked. "Hey... it's all good."

"I passed out." Andrew shook his head. "I can't believe I..."

"Hey!" Andy shrugged. "It's just a physical response, and it's not your fault. It was extremely stressful."

Andrew groused, "You seemed to handle it just fine."

Laughing at that, Andy responded. "Try being Miranda's assistant during Paris Fashion Week and then talk to me about stress."

"They're gonna take my license away." Andrew sighed. "I wanted to fly corporate planes. Now I'll be lucky to do crop dusting."

"There's nothing wrong with crop dusting." Andy smiled to herself, thinking about how much her grandpa had always enjoyed that particular activity. Come to think of it, she enjoyed it a time or two herself.

Andrew nodded. "I know, but corporate pilots have more glamorous destinations."

Chuckling at that, Andy turned her attention out the front window. "That is true." They were nearly to the gate, and she saw a portable stairway ready to roll into place at the aircraft door. The medical techs were standing near a gurney next to the ambulance. In the background she heard another large aircraft landing and knew it was probably the United flight that had made way for them. The crosswinds wouldn't affect the larger plane nearly as much as it had them especially since they were far heavier and had their engines to help combat it. She grinned at Andrew. "Nearly there." She flipped the communication system on and spoke to the passengers. "We're almost to the gate. The med techs are waiting to help Jackson, so please stay seated while they get him offloaded."

The plane stopped and Veronica opened the door as soon as Andy gave her the okay. The EMTs were quick and efficient, getting Jackson assessed and off the plane within a few minutes. Andy slowly unbuckled her safety harness and stood. "Time to face the music I suppose." She gestured for Andrew to go ahead of her and they left the cockpit. Neither of them sure what kind of reception they were going to get.

Andrew stepped aside quickly when two smallish forms pushed past him and glommed on to Andy.

"Ooof." Andy automatically wrapped one arm around each girl and knelt down. "Hey." She patted their backs. "It's okay..."

"You saved us!" Caroline buried her face in the crook of Andy's neck. "You saved us."

Cassidy mirrored her sister's actions. "When you said the engines were out, and the pilots were incap...incap.."

Andy filled in the word for her. "Incapacitated."

Cassidy sniffled and nodded. "Yeah... We thought we were gonna die."

"Uh uh... no way." Andy smiled at the girl. "Not on my watch." She caught Cassidy's gaze and reminded her. "I promised, didn't I?" It was not Cassidy's voice that responded.

"Indeed, you did."

Andy stood, bringing the girl's up with her, even though their feet were a few inches off the floor they still hung on to her. She kept her eyes on Miranda. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." Miranda nodded. "Thanks to you."

"Just doing my job." Andy let the girls down, although they continued to stay next to her. "I'm glad I was able to help." She could feel herself starting to come down from the adrenaline. "Would you excuse me, please?" With a final hair ruffle and smile at the girls. "I'll meet you inside."

Miranda watched as Andrea made her way down the stairway and began running. "Bobbseys, stay with Nigel." She also made her way down the stairs and walked with purpose in the direction she watched Andrea flee.

Andy ran until she found a small, quiet alcove. Since this part of the airport was starting to shut down for the night there were no people and the main lights were out. Only the light coming in the windows from the moon and the lights outside the building illuminated the area. Finding the darkest corner, Andy slid down the wall to sit on the floor with her knees bent. She rested her forehead on her knees and just let the tears flow. Hugging her legs to keep her arms from shaking as she reviewed everything she just did over and over. The reality of how every decision she made could have resulted in Miranda being hurt, Miranda dying, the girls being hurt or dying, it all washed over her. She had prevented it, but it had been close. The muscles across her back and in her biceps began to ache with the memory of how hard it was to control the landing. So close. She cried, for the longest time, until she realized someone was sitting beside her. She didn't want to deal with them and kept her head down, her eyes closed. The problem was, she knew who it was. How could she not know? Miranda's perfume was distinctive and burned into her senses. She could be a hundred and ten and not know her own name, but she would know that scent, always. After the tears had stopped and her breathing had been normal for a while, Miranda spoke.

"What can I do?"

"I..." Andy looked up into concerned blue eyes. "It just takes me a while after something like this." She flashed a tremulous smile at her boss. "I'll be fine."

Without a word Miranda wrapped her arm around Andrea's shoulders and held her close. They stayed like that for several minutes before Miranda spoke. "Andrea?"

Shifting slightly away, so she could see Miranda's face, Andy waited.

"Loved ones?"

"Yes." Andy nodded and closed the small distance again resting her head on Miranda's shoulder. "Very much loved."

"Andrea, I don't..."

"I know." Andy interrupted. "I know there's no way you could ever...love me back, but I do love you Miranda. I do. This last year has been so wonderful, and every minute I spend with you is a joy to me. You and the girls are like family to me. And nothing you can say will..." Andy found herself unable to continue her rant with Miranda's lips pressed firmly against hers. "Mmm..." Melting into the kiss, Andy tilted her head for a better angle and found Miranda doing the same. For a moment everything was right and perfect in the world. Then Andy panicked. Pulling away she looked around frantically. They were the only ones here, in this shadowy place. "Oh God... we didn't make it did we? We died... I died. Is this Heaven?"

Coming from anyone else at any other time Miranda would have thought this was an extremely cheesy pickup line, but at this moment with Andrea having just done what she did and the slight panic in those large dark eyes Miranda knew better. "No." She let her forehead rest against Andrea's. "No one is dead. You saved us. You are amazing. Smart. Beautiful. Young." She pulled back and reached up to trace Andrea's jawline and neck with her fingertips. "Which is why I was about to say that I don't deserve your love."

An exasperated huff escaped Andy's lips. "Miranda..."

"I'm not an easy person to love, Andrea." Miranda moved a few inches away, resting her back against the wall, their shoulders close but separated. "I have a lot of flaws."

"Yeah. Well it's harder to try not to love you. Believe me." Andy grinned. "And those flaws are part of the reason I do love you." Andy unfolded herself from the floor and held a hand down to assist Miranda up. "Speaking of parts of you, we had better get back before the girls start to worry." Taking a step closer to Miranda, Andy snaked one arm around her boss' waist, "But first..." Drawing Miranda closer with the arm around her waist, Andy reached up with her other hand and cupped Miranda's cheek before bringing their lips together, softly. They explored that sensation for a moment before breaking off and Andy chuckled. "Sorry, I just wanted to make sure I didn't dream that earlier."

"Mmmm..." Miranda smiled softly. "You must promise me something, Andrea." She waited for those dark eyes to focus on hers. "You must promise me you will never apologize for that again." Andrea's million-watt smile gave her the answer even before the audible "Yes, Miranda" echoed in the empty space.

###

Yawning a bit, Andy looked over the buffet and reached for the spoon to scoop up some eggs.

"Andy!"

Andy whirled around and quickly set down her plate when she saw Cassidy and Caroline barreling toward her. She only just prepared herself for the girls' octopus impression. She gave each girl a one-armed hug around the shoulders. "Hey." She grinned and watched as Miranda approached them at a much more dignified speed. "How'd you sleep?"

Getting separate rooms last night was not exactly welcome, but circumstances seemed to warrant it. Miranda had booked a room with a large bed for herself to share with the girls. After such a traumatic event, they needed to be close to their mother. Andy and the rest of the Runway entourage had also procured rooms, some of them bunking together in rooms with double beds, while others got a single, as Andy had done.

Caroline wrinkled up her nose. "Eh... I don't sleep so well in hotels."

Cassidy agreed. "Me either."

Miranda also concurred. "It is difficult." One eyebrow raised. "You?"

"Actually, it took me a while, but I usually sleep okay in hotels now. Especially after the adrenaline of something like yesterday wears off. I'm pretty much a frog on a log after that."

The girls laughed. "You mean you slept like a log?"

"No." Andy tapped Cassidy's nose. "Logs don't sleep. But frogs on logs do." She looked up at the amused noise Miranda made and shrugged. "It's something my Grandpa used to say."

"Hmm..." Miranda gestured to the buffet. "Come now, girls. Let Andrea get on with her meal. We also need to eat."

They all busied themselves with filling their plates. Andy and the girls returned to their respective tables while Miranda waited patiently for the chef at the egg station to prepare her requested egg white omelet. Once the folded egg dish was on her plate, Miranda began to join the girls at their table. Her footsteps slowed and changed direction when she noticed Andrea sitting at a small table all alone.

Approaching the reluctant hero, Miranda smiled, a genuine smile, and gestured across the room. "We have room at our table, Andrea, if you would care to join us."

"Oh. Yes." Andy breathed deeply, nodding to reinforce her verbal acceptance. "That would be great." She picked up her plate and drink before following Miranda. She grinned at the girls' enthusiastic greetings.

"We wanted to ask you to join us..." Caroline started.

Cassidy finished, "... but we thought you might want to be alone."

"Thanks, for both thoughts. I do like to be alone sometimes, but I always like being with you guys." Andy winked. "Don't be freaked out if I go back for seconds." She glanced over at the near snort Miranda made and raised her eyebrows in question.

Miranda merely waved off the look. "You obviously take care of yourself, Andrea, and after yesterday, you deserve to eat whatever you want, in whatever quantities you desire."

"Oh really...Hmmm." Andy raked her eyes down and back up Miranda's seated form. "Whatever I want, eh?" She ran her tongue over her teeth and grinned at the beautiful blush now spreading across Miranda's cheeks then decided to let the woman off the hook, for now. Turning to the girls, she laughed. "Did you hear that?" A brief glance at Miranda widened her grin. "I get waffles!"

They were all laughing when a voice from the restaurant entrance called out. "There she is!"

"Oh no." Andy groaned.

"Andrea Sachs." The reporter spoke excitedly into a microphone. "How does it feel to be a hero?!" The microphone was shoved into Andy's face, displacing the forkful of eggs.

"No comment." Andy pushed the microphone away and tried to take another bite.

"Aww. C'mon." The man insisted. "Just a blurb for the morning news." Again the microphone was pushed close to Andy's mouth.

"You want a 'blurb' for the morning news?" Miranda spoke quietly but firmly, in full Dragon mode. "How about this, 'News reporter is fired for harassing hero'? Because if you don't take your cameraman, microphone, and yourself out of here, this very instant, I will have my daughter send the video she is taking to your employer with the request that you be dismissed immediately. Or alternately it will be sent to my lawyer and you will either be sued or arrested for harassment." She gestured to the table. "We are eating breakfast now. The press conference begins in one hour, IF I decide to let you attend. That decision will depend solely on the speed of your departure."

The man's eyes widened realizing that Miranda had the clout to backup what she was saying. He looked across the table to see one of the two girls there holding an iPhone in one hand and waving bye-bye with the other. The cameraman grabbed the reporter by the arm and dragged him away.

"Idiot." Miranda made it seem as though she was spitting when she said the word. "It amazes me how rude some people can be."

"Thank you." Andy glanced at Miranda then turned to Caroline. "That was quick thinking."

Caroline grinned. "I saw him coming."

"Ridiculous." Miranda tossed her napkin down on the table. "I should have him fired anyway."

Andy sighed. "He was just trying to do his job." She had to agree, though, that irritating the person you want to interview wasn't the best way to go about it, for sure. "Let's just eat, okay?" She again scooped up a forkful of egg. "Like you said, the press conference starts in an hour." That wasn't necessarily something she was looking forward to.

Miranda glared at the now empty doorway to the restaurant, but she took a sip of her coffee and again positioned her napkin across her lap as she resumed eating her custom made omelet.

###

Andy felt much better with not one, but two, maple syrup-soaked waffles in her tummy. Miranda's hand on her back and Cassidy and Caroline holding each of hers didn't hurt either. She glanced at her companions and inhaled deeply. "Here we go." The door in front of them was pushed open, and they walked along the wall, past the murmuring crowd to the podium with a table on each side at the front of the room. Andrew and Veronica were already seated at the table on the left, leaving two seats available for them. The table on the right was filled with individuals in various uniforms. She realized three of them were employees of the airport, and one was an airline pilot. She went directly to him and he stood as she approached. He was taller than her, lean, with a huge smile on his face. She mirrored it as she spoke.

"United Seven-Two-Six?"

"Hey there, Gulfstream." He beamed. "Told ya I'd see ya on the ground."

"You did." She impulsively hugged him. "Thank you."

He hugged her and patted her on the back as they parted. "That was a helluva landing. I wasn't sure I wanted to try it, after I saw what you went through."

"Well. It's all sort of a blur at this point." Andy's forehead wrinkled. "There was some crosswind. I just did my best to keep on track. But your plane is bigger, and you had your engines. I was basically riding a kite."

His eyes widened. "Some crosswind?!" He shook his head. "You crabbed in like a champion." Seeing her confusion, his eyes gentled. "You haven't seen the landing yet, have you?" He took a deep breath and let it out. "I'm sure they'll show it to you soon." Looking up, he saw the gathering crowd and tilted his head toward the tables. "C'mon, best get this over with. We can talk later."

Nodding, Andy walked on but stopped at the older gentleman in the airport uniform. "Ground?"

He nodded. "Yes, Ma'am."

He had a jovial look to him and Andy thought if he had a beard he would make a convincing Santa. "You knew my Grandpa?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Chuckling at that, his eyes crinkled at the edges. "The Colonel talked about you all the time. His little namesake. Chip off the block, he would say." Tilting his head, the man nodded. "After that landing, I would have to agree."

Andy's hand landed on the man's shoulder and shrugged. "He taught me everything I know." She leaned down and whispered. "I think he was there with me."

Nodding, the man reached up to pat the hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure he was."

She smiled and moved on to take the seat between Miranda and Andrew. She smiled and waved at Cassidy and Caroline, who were seated in the front row of the audience. Their seats were slightly away from the gaggle of reporters gathered there.

A suited man stepped up to the podium and spoke to the assembled people. He told them about the emergency landing and pressed a control on the podium to reveal a screen behind him. "We know you will obtain it somewhere so this is the transcript and video of the event." The lights lowered, and they all watched the screen.

Andy watched as well. She was fine when the audio/video matched her memory of Andrew taking the instructions from Logan Approach, but she felt disconnected when it switched to Logan Tower speaking with her. Even though it was clearly her voice and she remembered saying those words, it felt as if she were listening to strangers. She watched as the plane on the screen turned and shifted in the wicked crosswind. Oddly, she found herself holding her breath even though she knew how it turned out. When the plane rolled to a stop, the lights were raised, and Andy found herself the focus of every eye in the room. At that point, she realized she had automatically reached out to hold Miranda's hand during the replay. The firm grip changed when Miranda lifted their hands to rest in plain view on the table top.

The sound of cameras' clicking was deafening.

###

When the flurry of photos and murmurs were over, the press conference continued with a fair amount of decorum. Several questions were asked and answered by the airport support team. Finally, someone asked Andy a question.

"How long have you been flying?"

She explained to them about her grandpa and how he had taught her from a young age about airplanes. How she had gotten her private pilot's license on her eighteenth birthday and had completed the requirements for her commercial license not long after that. She told them about how she had taken more training during the first semester of college and after meeting the requirements had received her airline pilot's license along with a part-time job with several carriers, including American, United, and FedEx. Weekend trips allowed her to keep her license current and still attend her classes. After graduation, however, she had pursued other avenues of interest and had only flown enough to keep her commercial license current, thanks to Jackson letting her fly his clients occasionally. Of course, she was no longer gainfully employed by any airline or courier service. She grinned at the multitude of slack jawed faces as she concluded her story and shrugged. "I love to fly."

She met Jackson and Veronica, via _Runway_. They had become friends and she was glad to hear the news this morning on Jack's health was positive. He was already more alert, and after some physical therapy he would probably make a full recovery.

###

Andy was breathing a sigh of relief as they prepared to leave the press conference. It had gone well, as far as she could tell. The questions were generic and often they were answered by the others at the table. It was a standard emergency landing, no fire on the runway, no explosions, nothing sensational enough for her to expect more than a short bit of video on the news about the emergency landing in heavy crosswinds.

Still holding Miranda's hand, Andy had taken one step away from the table when she was blindsided by someone wrapping their arms around her. The embrace pulled her hand out of Miranda's, and she heard a familiar voice in her ear.

"Andy, are you okay?"

Shoving him away, Andy was confused at his presence. "Nate? What are you doing here?"

"Yeah." He moved to hold her again only to drop his hands to his sides when she dodged him. "I live here. Remember? I wanted to check on you." He asked the reporters that remained. "Is it a crime to check on your girlfriend after something like this?"

"EX-girlfriend." Andy clarified, more for Miranda's benefit than the reporters. "We haven't seen each other since we broke up, a year ago! What makes you think I want to see you now?"

"C'mon, Baby..."

"Don't," Andy's voice dropped to nearly a growl, "call me Baby."

"Andy." Nate pleaded. "When I heard you landed the plane I had to check on you." He gestured to the room in general. "I heard what you said. Why didn't you tell me you were a pilot?" He grinned. "We could have had some great weekends together!"

Nodding at that, Andy sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "That's why." She shrugged. "Using my airline privileges would've be a game for you, but being a pilot is a very serious thing. I was responsible for lives, Nate. I wasn't there to be your personal ticket to exotic places."

His face reddened. "So that whole time after we moved to New York and you were looking for some crappy reporter job, you could've been a pilot!?"

Andy raised her eyebrows and glanced at the decidedly hostile looks Nate was now receiving from the actual reporters in the room. Most of them did not seem to appreciate the 'crappy reporter' comment at all. "I wanted to write. You know that. That's why I studied journalism in school. Flying is great, but it's not what I want to do full-time." Andy was about to say something else when Miranda interrupted.

"Andrea, I believe the girls and I will return to our room for a little while. You are welcome to join us when your conversation with this... person, has concluded."

Grabbing Miranda's hand again, Andy shook her head. "No, we're finished. We have been for a year. I don't even know why he's here."

"Andy. C'mon." He eyed the joined hands. "Just talk to me for a minute?" he pleaded. "Is it so wrong for me to care about you?"

"Care?!" Andy let out a bark of laughter. "If you care so much, why did you leave without so much as a word that you were going? If you care so much, where were you eight months ago when the lease, in your name, was up on the apartment? Where were you when I had to start couch surfing between the few friends I have because the lovely landlord in our building decided I could pay twice as much as we had been paying when we were together?" She ground her teeth together and shook her head. "No, you don't care about me at all. And I still don't know why you're even here."

Nate took off his jacket and draped it over a nearby chair, his polo shirt with the name of the establishment where he worked emblazoned just under his left collar. "C'mon, Andy..."

Miranda let a low rumble escape her throat. "Ah... I see." She gestured with her free hand to the advertisement on his shirt and the remaining reporters. "Did your employer ask you to do this, or did you take it upon yourself to try and get some free publicity for your workplace?" It didn't matter really. She had already taken note of the establishment. She was merely deciding now what to do about the situation.

Andy rolled her eyes and tugged at Miranda's hand as she gave the silent twins a grateful smile. "Let's go." She walked past Nate without a second glance.

Miranda, however, had other ideas. She halted their progress and spoke loudly enough for the reporters to hear. "I will have a word with your employer." She sighed. "It's a shame. I did used to enjoy dining there." She wondered as they left if any of the people there would inform him what that statement actually meant.

The rest of the trip to their hotel rooms was silent until they found themselves in front of the door to Andrea's room.

Andrea hesitated as she used the key and spoke softly. "You guys wanna come in for a bit?"

Miranda nodded as the girls faces lit up. Andrea opened the door and grinned when the children flopped on the bed immediately while Miranda took the stuffed chair in the corner. Andrea rolled the office chair over next to her. "You okay?"

"Mmm..." Miranda studied Andrea's face closely. "I have been thinking about something you told that boy."

"Oh?"

"You said you have been 'couch surfing'." Miranda glanced at the girls. A smile pulled at her lips when they both nodded enthusiastically. Their 'telepathic twin' thing sometimes extended to her. "Do you currently have a permanent place to live, Andrea?"

Chewing her lip for a moment, Andrea admitted. "No."

Miranda bobbed her head once, the answer confirming her guess. "Then you must come and live with us." She had barely finished the statement when the girls broke in. 

"Yeah!" Cassidy was on her knees, bouncing on the bed. "That's perfect!"

Caroline added her thoughts on the subject. "Yes! She can live in the basement!"

"Um..." Andrea's eyes widened. "Basement?"

The shock on Andrea's face pulled a full and hearty laugh from Miranda. Her blue eyes glittered as her mirth subsided. "I know the rumors in the halls of _Runway_ regarding my 'Dragon's Lair'." She grinned. "In fact, the lower level of my home is not a dark, dank place. It's a fully furnished apartment consisting of a bedroom, bathroom, living area, and kitchen. Many real estate agents refer to the space as a 'mother-in-law' suite or a 'guest suite'."

"Well it sounds great, but..."

"Don't answer now." Miranda interrupted. She knew what Andrea's kneejerk reaction would be to the offer. "Think about it." She took a deep breath and added a condition. "You will also need to find another position. You cannot work for me any longer."

"What?!" Both girls were outraged on Andrea's behalf. "That's not fair, Mom!" They both jumped off the bed and ran to Andrea's side. "You can't fire her! She saved us!"

Andy wrapped an arm around each girl's waist and shook them slightly. "Your mom is right." Dark eyes locked with Miranda's paler blue ones. "I can't work for her anymore, not if I want a relationship with her." She raised her eyebrows at the girls as they relaxed. "Is that okay with you two?"

"Oh." They looked at each other for a minute then answered in stereo. "Yes."

"Great!" Andrea's smile seemed to illuminate the room as the girls jostled her with their hugs. "Is that what you had in mind, Miranda?"

"It is." Miranda watched the three people she loved most in the world and nodded. "It is, indeed."

End.

For now.

It is possible that there will be more. Similar to the "Into the Fire" and "Deeper Into the Fire" story-verse... it all depends on how much of their lives they decide to share with me and how well I can keep it all organized. It's not easy having what amounts to a multi-verse in your head :) Thanks for reading.


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